The research evaluated safeguarding training that was delivered between 01.04.2021 and 31.03.2022 to a range of frontline staff working within the Hertfordshire and West Essex area. A mixed methods approach was employed - this involved the analysis of 2415 training evaluation questionnaires.
Background
Safeguarding training has always underpinned health and social care practices and has been mandatory for those working with At Risk people in all health, care, and education environments (Skills for Health, 2022). The safeguarding of children is a legal requirement (section 11, Children Act, 2004). Safeguarding training aims to develop a workforce who feel empowered to take the appropriate action when concerns are raised so that At Risk people, across the life course, are protected and receive the support that they need. Safeguarding training is offered at different levels to reflect the diversity of the health and social care workforce as well as their differing roles and responsibilities.
Recent changes to the organisation and commissioning of services meant it was timely to evaluate previous safeguarding training in order to inform the design and delivery of future educational approaches. In addition, lessons from safeguarding Training Evaluation and Analysis Frameworks suggests that improving knowledge and skills across workforces should evaluate the quality and effectiveness of training delivery, the impact of working together and test the short- and longer-term benefits of training outcomes (childandfamilytraining.org, n.d). Between 01.04.2021 and 31.03.2022 over 190 safeguarding adult and safeguarding children training sessions were accessed by 5,271 delegates from statutory and non-statutory agencies in Hertfordshire and West Essex. A mixed methods approach was employed - this involved the analysis of 2415 training evaluation questionnaires; qualitative data was then collected using semi-structured interviews and mini focus groups with 13 participants. All participants across the whole study were employees within the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care System and had undertaken safeguarding training within the designated time frame. The training sessions comprised of 54 safeguarding adults and safeguarding children generic and bespoke sessions, delivered via online access and face to face methods. This hybrid approach reflects the national trend following the outbreak of the Covid 19 Pandemic. Emerging evidence shows a number of positive benefits to this learning approach including cost, attrition and training compliance rates.
Project Aims
To evaluate safeguarding training that has been delivered to a range of frontline staff working within the Hertfordshire and West Essex area between 01.04.2021 and 31.03.2022.
Objectives:
To ascertain the experiences and perceptions of a range of frontline staff (working within the Hertfordshire and West Essex area) in terms of the safeguarding training that they have received.
To ascertain whether a range of frontline staff (working within the Hertfordshire and West Essex area) perceive that there has been an impact on their practice as a result of undertaking safeguarding training.
Project Activity
Methodological approach: A mixed methods evaluative approach, incorporating quantitative and qualitative data collection strategies was employed.
Evaluation surveys: Quantitative analysis of 2415 retrospectively collected evaluation surveys were analysed using descriptive statistics. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data collected in response to open ended questions included in the same evaluation surveys.
Interviews and focus groups: Qualitative data was then collected using semi-structured interviews and mini focus groups with a total of 13 participants with various employees of Herts and West Essex Integrated Care System who had undertaken safeguarding training between the period April 1st 2021 – April 30th 2022. This was primarily to add depth to the findings from the survey data, in particular, the efficacy, quality, training, content, style and delivery of training and impacts of training on safeguarding practice.
Outputs
The report was submitted to the ICB at the end of January and was used to inform the development of their future safeguarding training.
The work was disseminated via publication and conference presentation so that others can learn from the findings.
Who was involved?
University of Hertfordshire
Co-PIs
Dr. Rosemary Godbold
Dr. Lisa Whiting
Research team
Dr. Anthony Herbland
Honey-Anne Greco
